World Cancer Day & cancer prevention

 

In February 2011 our then Director, Professor David Hill, recorded this message for World Cancer Day. Professor Hill has since retired after 44 years of service to Cancer Council Victoria.

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Transcript:

Professor David Hill, Director Cancer Council Victoria (Australia) and UICC immediate past president:

Cancer is a huge and growing burden on populations of the world and while we must have more research answers as to the basic nature of the disease before we can be fully sure we can defeat the disease, there's much that individuals can do to protect themselves right now.

Epidemiologists and other scientists have identified what we call risk factors for cancer and if we take account of those risk factors in our personnel behaviour we can very much reduce the risk of developing a number of forms of cancer.

So first and foremost of course is tobacco. It's the largest single, preventable cause of cancer that we've identified. So people shouldn't smoke.

More recently we've come to understand that overweight obesity is a risk factor for a number of cancers. So people need to keep their weight within recommended ranges.

On the body mass index, between about 18 and 25 is where we would want most people to sit. They can do this of course by reducing excessive intake of fatty foods, eat more vegetables and by physically active.

Alcohol too, is a risk factor for cancer. Any amount of alcohol consumption does increase cancer risk so we advise people to be moderate in their use of alcohol.

And for fair skinned populations, being sun smart, that is avoiding excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation is very important.

In the last few years the UICC has come to understand that to achieve real change in cancer outcomes globally we need a very vigorous program of cancer advocacy. That is, mobilising our populations to urge their governments to institute the sort of measures that are going to reduce cancer.

The World Cancer Declaration is a very important document that sets 11 targets to bring cancer under control globally. And we are urging every citizen of the planet that can write to sign their name and get on an email to sign up to the World Cancer Declaration on World Cancer Day, February the 4th, or preferably before-hand.

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